Leeds Indian Restaurant Prashad is shortlisted for four new awards for bringing authentic Gujarati cooking to Yorkshire

Minal Patel is the head chef at the highly acclaimed Prashad restaurant

Advertisement feature: Under head chef Minal Patel, Prashad has more than earned its reputation as a Leeds institution. They’ve spent the last 30 years bringing authentic Gujarati cooking to Yorkshire, and built themselves quite the cult following; Gordon Ramsay and the Hairy Bikers call themselves fans.

Back in 1992, the Patel family opened a tiny deli on Bradford street corner. It was an instant hit, with its counter stocked full of sweet and savoury Indian delicacies. They expanded over the years, before settling into their three-floor Drighlington restaurant, back in 2012.

With Chef Minal at the helm, she introduced their seven-course tasting menu which became a roaring success, and Prashad earned its titled of Yorkshire’s only Indian Restaurant to hold a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand and two AA Rosettes.

“It’s all about using the best of the best ingredients” says Minal. “My cooking style fuses Gujarati flavours and traditional Indian techniques with Yorkshire’s finest ingredients, and the fine-dining skills I learned under Gordon Ramsay and Atul Kochhar.”

Try the Yorkshire restaurant celebrated by Gordon Ramsay, the Hairy Bikers, and the Michelin Guide

Prashad’s recent appearance on the latest Hairy Bikers BBC series saw the two chefs wowed by Minal’s menu. They called her “an artist” in the kitchen, describing the food as “perfection”.

During the show, Prashad was introduced to artisanal suppliers, such as the Yorkshire Mushroom Emporium, who’s seasonal gems have helped elevate Minal’s dishes another step closer to her goal of attaining a Michelin Star.

“It’s every chef’s dream. I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved at Prashad. But I’ll never stop challenging myself in the kitchen” says Minal.

“Getting to share my food with so many people is an incredible privilege, and I always want to serve them the best possible menu”.

The vegetarian tasting menu is a firm favourite

Forget any preconceptions of big price tags and tiny portions when it comes to the tasting menu at Prashad. Minal ripped up that particular rule book, so the reasonably priced, seven-course menu will leave you wonderfully full.

There’s no stuffy, overly formal dining style either. Dining at Prashad is like a welcome into the family home – that same warm welcome from the deli days.

It won’t come as a surprise to see Prashad shortlisted for an impressive four awards at our annual Oliver Awards. As well as making the cut for Best Fine-Dining Restaurant, and Chef of the Year for Minal, they’re also up for Best Speciality, and Best World Restaurant.

Can they add another string, or four, to their bow? Find out on March 23.

To try the tasting menu for yourself, visit www.prashad.co.uk to book your table.